MADE: Xavier Basketball Edition

"I wanna be MADE." MTV has given this phrase new meaning thanks to its reality television show, but those four words popped into my head last season while watching Xavier basketball games. No, I didn't have any illusions of becoming a movie star, an NFL player or even a comedian; I simply wanted to be MADE into a Xavier University basketball player. The only problem I faced was that I did not have an opportunity to play for the team…until I was informed about the open tryouts for a walk-on spot. While my story didn't include any phony life coach or made-for-TV moments, I still had the chance to be a Xavier basketball player. Before actually trying out, I had to fill out the necessary paperwork and have myself examined by the medical staff. Once I passed the academic standards and was cleared medically, I was ready.

Unlike those individuals who appear on MADE, I had previous experience with basketball. I have played basketball since I was three years old and played all four years in high school. With that being said, I was far from a star player: I was a "pass first, pass second" point guard who was one of the few guys willing to play defense. The term most associated with walk-on players is "scrappy," which pretty much defined my basketball career, so I was excited for the tryout.

Held on Oct. 9th in the auxiliary gym at Cintas Center, the tryout included nearly 30 other players hoping to join the team. Head coach Chris Mack and his staff began the tryout by explaining their expectations and how we would be evaluated. Once we finished the tedious stuff, we started things off with some three-man weave drills. The weave was a great way to shake off my jitters while getting my legs loosened. After a few times down the court, we began some classic one-on-one drills.

If my saga was on TV, the one-on-one drill would be the climax of the television show, my make-or-break moment in front of the coaching staff.

After 15 minutes of the individual matchups, I might have scored twice. Needless to say, I struggled in this drill for two reasons.

I was never an offensive player, and I was nowhere near the most athletic person on the court. Despite the rough showing in the offensive drills, I knew I could showcase my defensive prowess in the next drill: four-on-four.

This drill went smoothly for my group of four…at least until I was elbowed in the forehead. Overall, we had some quality defensive stops and worked well together, so I was pleased with my performance in that drill. Following the defensive drills, we moved on to learning the out-of-bounds plays that Xavier runs each game.

Once the coaching staff had their fill, they called everyone together and concluded the evening.

Coach Mack explained that he would be taking two or three walk-ons for this season. If they were interested in calling you back for more practices, they would call by week's end to inform you.

While I was hopeful for a call back, I knew that I was far from the best player, so I wasn't waiting by the phone on Friday. Unfortunately for me, the phone never rang. I had been cut.

Unlike the cheesy endings in MADE, my story may not have turned out as I planned.

However, it was a great experience and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play for Xavier University.

My saga may have ended without me ever putting on a Xavier basketball jersey, but hey, there is always next year. Maybe next time, I'll make the team and have my MADE-for-TV moment!